Partial Garment Lift/Quick-Access System

ABSTRACT

A partial garment lift/quick-access system for installation in an upper body garment for wearers who have a need for immediate and unobstructed access to the waist/belt line to retrieve essential items. The quick-access system allows the wearer to immediately expose an item at the waist/belt line, for complete and unobstructed access by pulling a simple cord at the chest pocket. This act produces a curtain-like affect at the bottom hem of the garment; assisting the wearer to make rapid hand-to-item contact while keeping the hem of the garment suspended for the duration of the required activity. The pull cord may be installed on one or both sides of the shirt system to allow for the most efficient access by the wearer. The quick-access system can be installed in various types of upper body garments such as, but not limited to, short or long sleeved shirts, vests, pullovers, and jackets. The upper body garments can be produced in different sizes, colors, fabric styles, and patterns to allow the wearer to wear the garment in any environment or for any occasion.

This application emanates from a previous provisional filing;61/097,468, filed on Sep. 17, 2008

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a quick-access system which, afterinstallation in an upper body garment, allows for immediate andunobstructed access to the wearer's waist/belt line while the garment ismoved upwards and away.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention is primarily designed for licensed concealed carry permitholders who carry a concealed firearm in a hip-holster, but can also beused by others who have a need for quick, unobstructed access toessential items such as, but not limited to, a taser/stun gun, or pepperspray worn at the waist/belt line.

Concealed or discreet carry garments in the past have included shirtswith 1) breakaway side vents or false bottom buttons held in place withhidden magnets, allowing the shirt to be swept up and back for access toitems at the waist, or 2) various hidden pockets to allow for concealedstorage of items. These shirts have provided concealed or discreetaccess to essential items at the waistline or other areas, howeveraccess is not unobstructed as the clothing is not completely removedfrom the subject area for the entire duration access is required. Pastshirts have only allowed for 1) brushing or sweeping the shirt hem asideby the hand, only to have the shirt quickly move back over the accessedarea by gravity and obstructing the activity; or 2) causing delays inquick retrieval by having to stick you hand in a concealed pocket, oftensnagging, tugging and pulling while retrieving the item.

An extensive search of other concealed or discreet carry garments didnot disclose any other patent that directly anticipates the quick,complete, and unobstructed access feature of this invention.Consequently, a need has been discovered for providing an improvedsystem to overcome the problems cited above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed at providing licensed concealed carry permitholders with immediate and unobstructed access to essential, concealeditems at the waist/belt line, for the duration of a required activity.Unobstructed access is gained through the use of the novel pull cordsystem that is installed on the inside front of an upper body garment.Once engaged, the pull cord system produces a curtain-like affect of thebottom hem of the garment and keeps the bottom hem suspended for theduration of the required activity. The wearer can discreetly carryessential items at their waist/belt line with the ability to use thequick-access system to attain immediate and unobstructed access. Thequick-access system can be installed on one or both sides of thegarment, which allows wearers to efficiently access the side of choice.This quick-access system can be installed in various types of upper bodygarments such as, but not limited to, short or long-sleeved shirts,jackets, vests, pullovers, and blouses.

The quick-access system is engaged when a wearer pulls the pull tab onthe outside of the garment. This tab is secured to the garment in aconvenient location at the outer chest pocket level. The tab is attachedto a pull cord that is affixed to the inside of the garment and coveredwith a fabric housing. The fabric housing is made of a similar materialas the main garment and ensures that the pull cord is contained and ableto move freely when engaged, and does not get caught on anything betweenthe wearer's body and the system. At the other end of the system thepull cord is attached to the inside, side hem seam of the garment, wherethe weapon, or other essential item, is holstered. When the pull cord ispulled, the side of the garment is lifted in a curtain-like affect;exposing the essential item underneath. The engaged pull cord remainsfirmly in place; keeping the hem line of the garment in a raisedposition until manually pulled back down to the normal length.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a wearer with the ability toattain immediate and unobstructed access to the wearer's waist/belt linefor the duration of the required activity.

It is a further object of the invention to be installed in various upperbody garments made of modern, attractive materials and patterns. Thiswill allow the user to wear the garment in any environment or for anyoccasion.

It is further an object of the invention to provide a wearer with theoption of having the access-system installed on one or both sides of thegarment.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description of theinvention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a front view of the closed short-sleeved shirt, and detailedview of outside pull tab assembly at chest pocket.

FIG. 2 is an inside shirt view of the pull tab assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As required, a detailed description of the present invention isdisclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the invention isnot limited to these disclosed embodiments. This invention may beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limitedto the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments areprovided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will bethorough, complete and will fully convey the full scope of the inventionto those skilled in the art. Indeed, many modifications and otherembodiments of the invention will come to mind of those skilled in theart to which this invention pertains, and which are intended to be andare covered by both this disclosure, the drawings and the claims.

Referring to the drawings in more detail:

A short-sleeved, collared, button-down, casual shirt is generallyindicated by the reference numeral 1, FIG. 1. FIG. 1 also details theouter pull tab assembly. The shirt 1 is formed of material which isdurable and comfortable, such as 100 percent cotton, a cotton/polyesterblend or other such materials. The shirt in this figure includes frontchest pockets with flaps, generally made of the same material, howeverpockets are not required. The shirt has an open (loose) hem line. A pulltab 2 extends below the bottom of the outer chest pocket flap, when thepocket flap is closed.

Underneath the pocket flap 3, the pull tab 2, made of a durable materialsuch as, but not limited to, canvas, cloth, ribbon, plastic, rubber orany other such material, is attached to the outside of the garment atthe chest pocket level in a manner that allows for the pull tab 2 to beeasily and securely grasped by the fingers. The pull tab remains visiblefrom the bottom of the closed chest pocket flap. The front portion of aVelcro® fastener 4 is attached to the bottom of the pull tab 2. The backportion of a Velcro® fastener 5 is attached under the length of theouter pocket flap 3 of the garment, to secure the pull tab 2 to thegarment during non use at the desired location under the pocket flap 3.While a Velcro® fastener is described herein, the fastener can be madeof other materials, such as, but not limited to, a snap or anyattachment device that secures the pull tab while not in use but stillallows it to be quickly detached.

A durable metal, double-sided grommet 6 at least the same size as thepull cord or larger is installed at the top, inside corner of the outerchest pocket and is securely affixed to the inside of the garment FIG.2, numeral 7. The double-sided grommet provides a stationary, durablehole through which a pull cord 8 is run. A reinforced backing material 9is affixed to the inside of the garment where the back of the grommet issecured. The reinforced backing material provides additional stabilityand durability to the garment; minimizing the stress to the grommet areaduring deployment of the quick-access system. The reinforced backingmaterial can be made of various materials, such as, but not limited to,plastic, patch swatch, or any material that is strong enough to maintainfunctionality after repetitive use.

A durable nylon pull cord 8 is securely sewn to the top of the pull tab2 and is inserted through the outer metal grommet 6, to the inside ofthe garment. While a durable nylon pull cord is described herein, a pullcord can be made of various materials, such as, but not limited to,fabric, fishing line, metal, plastic, or any material that has theappropriate tensile strength and flexibility to provide repetitive andreliable use.

In FIG. 2, the inside garment pull cord assembly is detailed. Oncepulled through the outer metal grommet 6, to the inside of the garment,the pull cord 8 is drawn, without resistance, to the inside, side hemseam 10 of the garment where it is cut. The pull cord length isconsistent with the distance from the chest pocket level grommet 7 tothe inside, side hem seam 10 of the garment. The end of the pull cord issecurely sewn to the inside, side hem seam 10 of the garment.

A pull cord housing 11, made of the same material as the main garment orother such non-obstructing material, stretching from the inside grommet7 to the inside, side hem seam 10, is securely sewn over the pull cord8; acting only as a cover to allow the pull cord to move freely andsmoothly, without obstruction. A reinforced backing material 12 isaffixed and securely sewn over the pull cord housing and end of the pullcord at the inside, side hem seam 10. The backing material reinforcesthe area of the garment at which the essential item is worn; providingadditional stability and durability to the garment and maximizingunobstructed lift of the garment over the essential item. The reinforcedbacking material can be made of various materials, such as, but notlimited to, plastic, patch swatch, or any material that is strong enoughto maintain functionality after repetitive use.

1. A partial garment lift/quick-access system for installation in anupper body garment; comprising: a) A pull tab assembly affixed to theoutside of an upper body garment at the chest pocket level. b) A pullcord assembly affixed to the pull tab on the outside of the garment andrun through a metal grommet at the chest pocket level to the inside ofthe garment. Inside the garment, the pull cord extends to the inside,side hem seam of the garment where it is affixed. c) A pull cord housingis sewn over the pull cord to contain and allow the pull cord to movesmoothly, when engaged by the pull tab, without obstruction. d)Reinforced backing material affixed to the garment where 1) the insidegrommet is secured and 2) at the inside, side hem seam.
 2. A partialgarment lift/quick-access system as described in claim 1; wherein saidaccess system is optionally installed on one or both sides.
 3. A partialgarment lift/quick-access system as described in claim 2; wherein saidaccess system assists the wearer to make immediate and unobstructedhand-to-item contact while keeping the hem of the garment suspended forthe duration of the required activity.
 4. A partial garmentlift/quick-access system as described in claim 3; wherein said accesssystem is installed in various types of upper body garments such as, butnot limited to, short or long-sleeved shirts, vests, pullovers, andjackets. The upper body garments can be produced in different sizes,colors, fabric styles, and patterns to allow the wearer to wear thegarment in any environment or for any occasion.